Advanced Placement Students Focused on Art

The art classroom is busy with activity as the Advanced Placement Studio Art students first arrive.

They're gathering their supplies, chatting with teacher Kathleen Harte and bringing out their work for the day.

But the clatter only lasts a few minutes. As soon as the tables are set, supplies are within reach, the students are busy painting or drawing. The only sound that can be heard is classic rock from a radio and the saws from the shop class across the hall.

The AP Studio Art program spans two years, and students are expected to produce 24 pieces to submit to the College Board in May of the second year.

"That's a lot," Harte said.

It's important for students to focus and develop strong time management skills through the class in order to complete the work, she said.

Producing that much work also would not be possible in one year, Harte said, which is why the program was developed to span two years.

It's mostly sophomores and juniors who take the course, and graduates of the program can take the senior art consortium, in which students can experiment more with their art and earn college credit from Fairleigh Dickenson University.

In order to take the AP class, students must e-mail Harte for an application the previous December. They have to submit an essay, teacher assessment and a form signed by a parent.

In May, students submit a portfolio of work and take a drawing test, which lasts two hours.

Students are expected to produce a project every two weeks and have a sketchbook assignment due every week.

Harte said the students take the class for a variety of reasons, but each must show they are motivated before they enter the class.

Kelly Blumenthal, a junior and second-year AP student, said she has always loved art because of her grandfather, who did graphic art.

Her grandfather produced art from World War II through when he lost his eyesight, she said, and his work connected her with art.

Hank Ehrenfried, a junior and second-year AP student, said he's always enjoyed art, took classes in Madison and plans to take classes this summer at Virginia Commonwealth University.

But he almost missed the deadline for applying for the program.

"I would have probably waited a year," he said when asked what he would have done if he missed the deadline. "My parents asked me the same thing."

Annie Dolan, a sophomore first-year AP student, said she wasn't that into art, but she was always creative and wanted to try.

Her art exploration class freshman year inspired her to apply for the AP program.

"I got more into it with the summer assignments," she said. "It made me understand how much I wanted to take the class."

Students have to produce 26 sketches—one for each alphabet letter—over the summer before entering the program.

"It's not that it's easier than my other classes," Dolan said. "It's just more fun than sitting through math class."

Luke Kaledin, a junior first-year AP student, said he waited to take the class because he wanted to improve his art first through an honors class his sophomore year.

"I wanted to be sure this was right for me," he said. "I'm still getting the AP experience."

The first year of the class covers the technical skills and is rigorous, but the second year is focused on students applying those skills to their art.

"By AP II, they're using the skills to speak," Harte said, noting a student painting hanging on the wall. The painting features a cow eating a sandwich with a human hand while humans graze in the background.

May Jeong, a junior and second-year AP student, said the class has helped her develop skills as an artist she otherwise wouldn't have developed.

"It helps keep me at a fast pace," she said.

Not every student who takes the class goes on to art school, but Harte said a lot do.

Blumenthal said she'll continue art in college, but it probably won't be her major.

"I like science too," she said. "I want to be an astrophysicist."

Astronomy can be just as creative as art because everything is based on theory, she said.

"It's like creative writing except you're explaining real life," she said of creating theories.

Kaledin said he's unclear at this time if he wants to major in art in college.

"In the beginning I wanted to major in art," he said. "I want to keep it in my life, but I'm not sure I want it for a major and do it for a job."